A Little Friendly Competition
by Cielita
Summary: Rated PG for kissing! After Severus' and Albus' proposals of marriage to their loves are rejected, the two decide to make a competition of it! Please R&R!
1. Women!

A Little Friendly Competition  
  
"WOMEN !" roared Severus Snape, slamming the door to his office and sending several bottles perilously close to the edge of the shelves. He was perilously in love with Rolanda Hooch and his attempt at a proposal had just been rejected. Rolanda had said she wasn't ready, even though she and Severus had been discussing the potential of marriage for some time. He just couldn't understand it; what was wrong with the way he proposed? Everything had been perfect! The light from a sunset streaming through the window, the romantic dinner, the candles, the roses (which he despised, but they made Rolanda happy) and romantic music in the background. What could have been better than that?  
  
He threw himself into his favorite chair and summoned a glass of scotch from the side table across the room. From the shadows, Albus Dumbledore appeared, and Severus nearly choked on his drink in surprise. Dumbledore settled into the chair beside him and Severus summoned a bottle of butterbeer as he coughed.  
  
"*Hack* Make yourself *gasp* at home, headmaster," said Snape said, his face returning to it's normal color as he choked down his drink.  
  
"Something bothering you, Severus?" Dumbledore's voice came.  
  
"I made sure everything was right. Music, ambiance, roses, dinner, everything. She turned me down. What *didn't* I do?" Severus sputtered, exasperation written all over his face.  
  
"I've proposed to Minerva once before also. She claimed she wasn't ready. I was heartbroken," said Dumbledore. Suddenly, after a short silence, Severus came up with an idea.  
  
"We'll make a bit of a competition of it then. The first one to get a yes from the woman of his dreams does the other's laundry for a month," said Severus.  
  
"Don't forget the starch, Severus," said Dumbledore, calmly getting up from his chair to go.  
  
"Extra fabric softener, Dumbledore," called Snape as the headmaster smiled and walked out the door.  
  
That night, Severus looked over the preliminary plans he was making for his wedding to Rolanda. He had chosen several members of the wedding party already. That night, he contemplated sending an owl to his brother, Oran, whom he had chosen as his best man. At length, he wondered what Dumbledore had in mind that made him so sure that he would win. 


	2. Dumbledore Tries Again

Back in the headmaster's study, Dumbledore was contemplating the woman asleep in his favorite stuffed chair before the fire. Her bun had tumbled down her shoulders and the book she had been reading had slipped from her fingers and fallen to the carpeted floor. Across the room, Fawkes, the swan-sized red and orange phoenix, cooed softly as he slept. He couldn't believe how long it had taken for him to admit to himself that it was all right to love Minerva without feeling like he was depriving her of a life with a man her own age. Minerva wouldn't hear of it. She only wanted him. Smiling, Albus tiptoed out of his office and made for Minerva's quarters. She was asleep in his study, expecting him to come back from his talk with Severus. Now was the perfect time. He took a spool of ribbon out of his pocket. It was her favorite shade of Gryffindor red, and velvety soft. He started at the door, tying one end of the ribbon to the knob and strung it to various places in the rooms, every so often attaching a small card to the ribbon. The first one said, "Presenting: Reason's I love you, by Albus W.P.B Dumbledore. Please follow the cards." The rest of the cards each declared reasons that Albus loved Minerva more than anything else in the world.  
  
"You make me happy to be alive"  
  
"Your smile is better than 10 sunrises"  
  
"That look you give me when you're trying to be mad at me"  
  
"Your voice is like music to my ears"  
  
"You didn't need magic to capture my heart"  
  
"I've never seen a lovelier tabby cat"  
  
"My heart skips a beat when you dance"  
  
"You are so beautiful"  
  
The list went on and on. When he finished, he sat patiently at the end of the ribbon, having attached it to the nightstand beside her bed where he carefully placed the box that held her ring. The card he placed beside this one said, "Will you marry me, Tabby?". This time, he couldn't lose. It had taken him all day to write the cards, choosing from the dozens of things he loved about her to find the ones that were just right. He calmly walked back to him office to find that Minerva had awakened.  
  
"What took you so long?" she murmured sleepily.  
  
"Poor Severus has had his heart broken. He attempted a proposal to Rolanda and she's turned him down," said Albus. Minerva made a face.  
  
"What's wrong with her? Severus loves her more than even his potions class and she turned him down? I'll talk with her in the morning," said Minerva, lingering in Albus' arms. He smiled and lifted a wisp of hair from her eyes. Lightly the two kissed, and Albus proceeded to walk Minerva to her quarters.  
  
When she saw the ribbon, she looked apprehensive at first. Who had been in her room? Then she read the first card. A pleased gasp escaped Minerva. She looked up at Albus with an expression that couldn't have been anything but elated joy. By the time she reached the end, Minerva was crying. Albus had never shown so much affection at once. She found the last card on the table and read it. Albus braced himself for her answer. He was sure he had won the competition. He even had his laundry basket ready and waiting for Severus to come and pick it up on his way to the laundry room.  
  
"Oh, Albus, we've been through this!" Minerva said. She could have slammed his nose in a book for all the force that these words had on him.  
  
"Is that a no?" he muttered, dropping his head down. Minerva took his face gently in her hands and lifted his face to meet her eyes.  
  
"No, it isn't. Just not now," she replied. She and Albus kissed for a moment he bid her goodnight, the blow she had inflicted upon him still stinging. He would have to think of something else. 


	3. Snape Tries Again

The next day, Severus made sure that his schedule was clear for the evening. He wanted to be able to spend time with Rolanda. After work was done and dinner was finished, Rolanda slipped her hand into Severus' and they tiptoed out of the Great Hall nearly unseen. Half and hour later, the two met down at the entry hall, Severus dressed down in black slacks, a dark blue shirt with the top buttons left open and a sport coat over the top. His hair was slicked back and drawn into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck. Rolanda stepped carefully down the stairs in a short, sleeveless dark blue dress that hugged all the right curves. There were little shiny blue stars in her spiky hair, and the perfect pair of strappy black heels completed her outfit. Severus nearly needed a glass of water.  
  
"My God," Severus said, taking Rolanda's hand and slowly turning her before him, "You are so beautiful!" He smiled and kissed her ear, taking his time inhaling her scent. Rolanda smiled and she and Severus left the castle for the evening and headed for the city. Hogsmeade wasn't going to cut it tonight. The nightlife was in London.  
  
They hit the clubs, and soon, the two were swaying and dancing to the beat. Severus got behind Rolanda and wrapped his arms around her as she swayed, her arms in the air one moment and then down close to her body and covering his the next. They moved and swayed, their ears pounding with the rhythm and their hands everywhere. The music never quite stopped so they didn't either. Midnight came and went and the two were still club hopping and getting just a little tipsy. They were walking down the street together, Rolanda's eyes bright and Severus laughing.  
  
"My goodness, you can drink!" said Severus, wrapping his arm around Rolanda.  
  
"You know it, baby! Hoochs always have been able to hold their liquor," said Rolanda. Severus laughed heartily. He and Rolanda wound up walking through a park near a residential area hand in hand and sitting down on the swings. Rolanda pushed herself back and forth a few times.  
  
"You know, when I was a little girl, this was my first taste of flight. I would swing and be able to soar up into the sky, just as if I was really flying, like my parents," said Rolanda. Severus smiled. He didn't often hear about Rolanda's childhood, even though from what he knew of it, it had been a happy one.  
  
"I never had a swing set," he countered, "but I did have a chemistry set that my mother sneaked down to me one afternoon after my father had had one of his fits and had banished me to the cellar. I loved my mother. She was the only person in my life that made me feel loved," he said softly. Rolanda took hold of Severus' collar and pulled him to her.  
  
" *I* love you," said Rolanda, kissing him, "Let's go home. I'm getting cold." Severus smiled, "I've got just the remedy for that."  
  
When they arrived back at Hogwart's, they indulged in a mug of hot chocolate and then Severus walked with his date to her room, his coat draped over her shoulders. When they arrived there, Severus took Rolanda in his arms and kissed her again. Rolanda deepened the kiss, winding her hands around his middle. It didn't take long for Severus to realize that this could go much further than he had originally planned. Then he pulled back slowly, stroking her face with one hand as she smiled.  
  
"Rolanda, my love?" he asked, his brown eyes shining in the lamp light.  
  
"Yes, Severus?" she purred back.  
  
"Will you marry me?"  
  
Rolanda pondered for a moment. The evening had been perfect, they had danced until their shoes had nearly worn out, and their talk at the swing set had been priceless. Severus felt his heartbeat double the longer she waited to answer.  
  
"Severus, I love you so much, please be patient with me," she replied.  
  
"That's a no, isn't it?" he asked, fingering the ring in his pocket. She lifted his face in one slender hand.  
  
"Give me time, Severus," she said.  
"You have my whole world. Take all the time you need," he replied, his disappointment not quite hidden enough on his face. Foiled again! He returned to his rooms and leaned against the door as it closed. How could he convince Rolanda to marry him before Dumbledore gets a 'yes' from McGonagall? 


End file.
